Introduction

Gatekeeper: In the name of God, this is the tenth program of the third chapter; a special program, as a summary of all the materials presented for you over these years. Perhaps we must guess that this talk and conversation will last for more than twenty years. This way as they have told me, it is planned for us to be present in a special place, in a special gathering. We do not know what will be spoken of there; our mind is currently an empty mind. But as far as I can inform you, there is a special place for you there; the place of symbolic presence of teachers who had connection with you. That what they want to speak about, we must follow patiently and listen to the end.

Description of the Scene: This session occurs in the "Territory of Meaning" (State of Station/Meaning / Sāhat-e Ma'nāyī) and in it the Parabolist (The Recountor) and the teachers are present. In the world of matter (Realm of Form), attendants accompany the Parabolist (in the material world) who are named the delegation of listeners and by affirming opinions or obtaining permission, observe the events of the session of the Realm of Meaning. The Parabolist is present in the Territory of Meaning in the session of teachers to enter into conversation with them. To remind, the Parabolist is the medium of the Realm of Meaning (Realm of Minds) and the material (shaped) world, and this program has a return-and-going (oscillating) state between these worlds.

*Inside the Visionary Mind*

Inside the Visionary Mind

Soroush (The Herald/Messenger) says: In the name of God, ladies and gentlemen, we are at your service in the presentation session of the report of three decades of activity of the Visionary Mind (Visionary Mind / Zehn-e Rōyābīn), and we strive by presenting explanations to examine and pay precision to this performance.

The Parabolist in the material territory (Realm of Form) turns to the delegation of listeners and says: The routine of the work is that in the beginning I will raise an introduction and after that I will enter you into the present space of the Visionary Mind; but it will have a return-and-going state (between the Realm of Meaning and the material world) so that I can present the explanations in such a way that this situation is specified with more precision. You know that the base and foundation of our discussions was established on the definition of the mind, and we introduced human as the link between the Formless Space and the Shaped Space. In these sessions in which we dialogued, we also considered stages. We said that most humans live in the shaped state and possess an ambiguous mind; they live in an ambiguous way, although subsequent stages also exist.

The Parabolist in the Territory of Meaning turns to the teachers and says: I too strove to distance myself from this ambiguous mind, more than thirty-four years ago, and with your cooperation, masters and teachers, I was able to come out of that situation, enter the Analytical Mind, and in the same way experience the imaginative mind, and eventually, with the definition you had and kindness you showed to me, enter the discussion of the "Visionary Mind"; the very thing you gifted to me.

In this state, the Parabolist turns to the delegation of listeners and says: For those friends who follow more precisely to understand this discussion better, I say again: what causes the change of the level of the mind is the Inspirations that come toward the mind from the Formless Space. These very Inspirations are what elevate and nurture you. There are words and phenomena that take you out of the ambiguous state, take you out of the shaped state, and direct you to a side where you can examine relations in an analytical way. Apparently your body lives in the shaped state, but you, by presenting analysis, examine the relations between objects and once again in the subsequent stages, with the arrival of new words, you see that you can elevate your mind to experience a mind along with imagination, along with Imagination (Takhayyul). There, in that state, with the Inspirations you obtained, you yourselves can also engage in innovations and the creation of fresh situations. If everything goes forward well, suddenly you see you enter a stage in which such a rain of words and rain of Inspiration surrounds you that you advance toward a Vision (Roya). This Vision for different individuals, as far as I have understood, has been different; but what I experienced and observed in the Visionary Mind was the presence of words and those phenomena in an exemplary/imaginal mold; a place where huge and ancient trees, with tall height and numerous branches and leaves, were placed before me. When I asked of what these are representatives and which words they are, they said: "They are the words of the teachers and masters who are placed before you and you, by using the existing conditions, can discover what role they have considered for you." I gradually received that my role would be the role of a teacher. It is not bad now to accompany you; let us go together to see what the present situation of this Visionary Mind is. When you became aware, we will return and I will present other explanations to your service.

In the land of teachers, a tumult has risen and a session has been held. One of the teachers says to other teachers: Respected masters, allow yourselves to be patient; this session is a special session, twenty years have passed since this event. Speak one by one; all of us have words to say, let it be said one by one. Then he points to one of the teachers and says: I ask you to begin the talk; the subject is an important subject.

The Parabolist in the material world, turning to the delegation of listeners: Well, you see that a state of inflammation is dominant on this Visionary Mind.

The Parabolist enters into dialogue with the teachers in the Realm of Meaning: The last file/case that was in my access came to an end. You know that about two years ago, I delivered the major part of the files/cases to you, determined their task, and took the title of "teacher" off myself; but I kept one file/case open, not as a teacher, but as a companion. Its cause was the promise and contract I had given to that person never to leave them alone, with respect to the special situation they had. Of course, that situation was not very desirable either and it was predictable that a suitable process was not ahead, until in the past few days some events occurred where the articles of that contract were completely trampled from the side of that individual, and my continuous tracking efforts also reached no result.

The Parabolist turns to the delegation of listeners and explains: You see that we have entered an inflammatory situation and the teachers of whom I spoke just now, as a symbol, are now in an intragroup dialogue and are going toward speaking about what occurred at least in the course of the past twenty years. I think they will do the favor and from the very starting day of the formation of that Vision (Roya), raise their memories. I too, if any point is necessary, will return to the talk of the respected masters and add to it.

The Teachers' Memories: — Do you remember when we confronted him? Do you remember? All of us were there; symbolically, they invited us, a Vision (Roya) was planned to happen. Do you remember he stood before us? — Yes, he stood before me. — No, he stood before all of us. For years they had told us "he is there, is active, is a mind that is growing intensely"; they had said: "he is working with it." — Do you remember that we embraced him? — Each of us individually embraced him, took him in our arms; as if it was a long time that we knew him, were waiting for him. Do you remember that to our great wonder, all at once he appeared in the shape of a tree? It was very strange to us, we had not seen such a thing. How? In what shape? A human became a tree?

Parabolist: Yes, it is as you say. Your talks transformed me too. Yes, I too remember what a strange night it was; I did not predict at all that my Vision (Roya) would be such that I would be placed before you, the great teachers, and be afflicted with you. In fact, you looped your hands around me, took me in your embrace, and I was afflicted with you—with your words, with your talents and capabilities—it manifested in me. The number of you was very large; I do not remember with how many of you, how many teachers, I confronted. — And you say correctly; my teacher, the one who brought about such a Vision for me, was the teacher of teachers. It was to his power that suddenly I came out of the level of a human. I accept that you wondered how I appeared in the shape of a tree in your land and I remember what a congratulation you gave to me and by what name you called me.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Yes, I remember, what a tree. — But it was strange, why did they give him this difficult mission? — Did it not seem early? Should he not have stayed with us more? — They sent him, before humans, they did not know who he was.

Parabolist: Yes, I too am with you; I received to what point you refer. Firstly, the mission was specified quickly: if you took the symbol of the tree, then you are a teacher. From here it was specified what role I must have and that these parallel worlds must work together as soon as possible; meaning my Vision (Roya) became a connected Vision. We observe a double performance: my body was on the earth and from the physical and shaped aspect had to play the role of a teacher, but the content, those topics and subjects that I had to put at the disposal of others, was the very thing you—respected masters—placed at my disposal and I used your guidances.

That you said it was early, I myself also wondered, because after a few moments that I had the feeling of "being a tree" beside you, suddenly I observed the shade of this tree on the shaped ground; meaning I had to react quickly.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Well, humans passed before him; some only wanted to rest in that shade, no special connection was established. Humans are not very searchers of meaning, so they did not perceive him, only passed before him. Do you remember with what precision he looked at humans? ...And then... yes, he was seeking permission, wanted to see with which of these he must establish connection.

Parabolist: Yes, it is so; I too remember these very subjects. In the beginning, I was truly in the state of patience and tolerance. You yourselves said that I must wait and wait until you make sign. I spoke with different humans, but deep discussions did not take shape; I knew that these talks were in flow only for solving an apparent problem, not something deeper. Honestly, in those who were before me, being searchers of meaning or paying attention to these points was not seen much, but I remember I was seeking that permit; I asked you if you think I have the preparation, to begin the work with your sign.

I remember you said the teacher must recognize all their capitals, be acquainted with them and know that they must offer all sincerely to the humans with whom they must work. The individuals with whom I began the work were not Grown-Ups and from the age aspect too, they could not be of the same age as me; from the shaped aspect too, there was no common point—neighborhood, kinship—between us. So I knew I must take these warnings seriously: I must supply the capital and with patience and tolerance confront humans.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Well, he found no one; years had passed, no one passed beside him who had a sign. Do you know how much he had to wait? Trees are the manifestation of patience; he had to run roots, give branches and leaves, had to be a receiver and prepare himself to transfer meanings. And he was waiting. We saw that he was waiting, hands raised to the sky, in pursuit of light and in expectation... until someone comes... Aha, that is correct, eventually they appeared; we saw, yes, a teenager; a teenager who had suffered hardship. Oh, with what precision this tree was placed before that small human. Do you remember how much opportunity he gave, how much time he spent to hear the words of that human? Only he was the one who, with all existing problems, could listen to the words of a human. It is interesting to know where that child was sitting—oh, how much the activity of this tree was wonderful to us; for the sake of this teenager, how much he expanded himself, he had grown very tall and was always waiting for a meeting to occur again, to expand his shade over the head of that wayfarer again, put a secure place at their disposal so they could rest, speak, empty themselves.

The surroundings of that tree had also been transformed; the clouds of meanings of loving were concentrated there, lights passed from there, the growth of this tree was the talk of the surroundings, everyone knew who stood behind his back. We were all happy. Do you remember what number of these youths at that time already easily made comings and goings beside him? How much they were close to him? Around him was bright, like a feast; we continuously watched this ceremony. How good it is that humans are children (child), simple and pure; children see us better. A tree full of stars, full of light, full of words to say, full of shade, full of fruit. But we were worried.

— Which of you was not worried? Did not each of you, through this tree and its attraction, confront humans? — But we were worried, worried of the future.

Parabolist turns to the listeners and says: Well, it is better to examine this part with more precision and say what problems existed in this stage. As I said, due to the age gap, cultural difference, and the professional situation of the teacher in the shaped state and his shade on the ground, many pressures were applied to him—and to me. Why? From the family side, from the side of the humans who were around; various questions, accompanied by criticism, sarcasm, mockery, even threat.

Who are these individuals? Why are they seen so much around here? Why do they come both morning and afternoon? Why do their calls not stop? About what are you speaking? Is that university discussion that is in flow not enough? Inside the university there is class, what reason is there for these discussions to expand to the door of the house, to the street, to the alley? Yes, I was in danger, because I could not put a clear answer at their disposal; not that there was no answer, but its presentation was not possible in that stage. So see what anxiety, what stress, and what indescribable pressure was applied to him; but he continued, did not step back. Naturally, physical problems also appeared for him, because he had to stand on his feet for many hours of the day and night, particularly in the afternoon works, which imposed an increasing pressure on him. He had to stand on his feet for a long time and listen to the words of different individuals; these individuals too appeared one by one and you see that the whole hours were placed at their disposal. Do you know what the result was? That in the future, those pressures would influence his body in the form of various small and large illnesses. In what time? The time when his age comes out of the usual age and enters the period of adulthood and aging.

Well, I think I was able to say that the personal problems with which he was confronted were not of the kind of problems he could solve; he only had to have tolerance and patience. Let me also say a point before we return to the Visionary Mind : the process he ran for individuals was a process of the nature of "Purification and Instruction" (Tazkiyeh va Ta'līm). Meaning first he allowed them to define the whole story of their life. Naturally, these talks were painful talks; the events that had happened to them in an unpleasant shape had to be defined and it was more difficult for him, because he had to hear all these unpleasant events and analyze them inside himself. Assume yourselves if every day individuals speak to you of their mental and physical damages of past years, how much you become worn out from the mental and spiritual aspect?

Purification (Tazkiyeh) means that all these cases are said and the individual frees themselves from the load of those events; at least speaks them. And Instruction (Ta'līm) is the stage after that; he had to tell them—and told them—that the origin of these difficulties and defects you raise is shaped in families. The "Grown-Up(s)" who form a family do not have that preparation, that necessary thought and mind for forming a family; they only physically have children, without knowing what a heavy duty they carry for the mental, spiritual, and physical nurturing of their children. What preparations must they have? What activities must they perform?

The result became that, for example, the age gap of the child and father was so large that a good connection did not take shape; or divorce broke the foundation of the family and the individual, wandering and bewildered, dreamed of death; or the multiplicity of children caused the father and mother not to be able to reach the situation of the children as is necessary; or a family that was engaged with addiction and drugs, naturally could not deliver a suitable child to the society. Full of defects, full of mental wounds. With such cases we continuously confronted and in the instruction part, I continuously gave warning that they strive not to act like a "Grown-Up". Allow us to return to the Visionary Mind...

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Do you remember what the tree itself, what that great teacher (meaning Parabolist or pathfinder) said? — He said the world confronts you with lines, spots, and shapes. — Were you yourselves not in these lessons? Did you yourselves not participate? Did you not see that he himself welcomed that you must tell the youth that they will be confronted with shapes, beautiful shapes, but it was not planned for us to become prisoners of shapes (appearances of the material world); it was planned for us to live among them without hanging from them or attaching our hearts. Shapes change. We also told them that they themselves are also in the shaped world and will change.

Oh, but the same event happened. Once again humans ran after the illusion of beauty (or any other specimen). The world flees from whoever desires it, plays with them, but that same person continues the pursuit of illusion. Do you think we achieved many things? Wanting more, having more, not waiting. — Could he not prevent them? — No, it was not planned to imprison anyone; but he had said everything, we too had said that the world shows itself in the shape of an endless race. What a pity that humans spend their lives running after the illusion of life and then, tired and worn out, a day arrives when they see in their hand there is nothing. That tree looked with worry, worried of the future of his friends.

Parabolist says to the listeners: I think an explanation is necessary here: the duration of time spoken with individuals was not small; we dialogued for years about entering the shaped world and its necessity, but the condition was that if someone wanted to have a choice in the shaped world and accept a role, they must certainly take its license from us so that we could control the subject and adjust it in such a way that a big mistake does not occur. The first movement with which such individuals are confronted is usually going to work; that they be active independently, from the financial aspect. But this itself carries the connection with the shaped world and it is here that perhaps the first big mistakes occurred: excess in collecting money and material things. Almost all the hours were spent on working full-time and collecting capital. For what? Because we were thinking of the future; the race had begun. Everyone looked at each other: who makes more money? Who becomes independent earlier? Who can buy a home or buy a car and begin their common life?

I wanted to show you the space; all the necessary warnings had been given, but naturally the same event happened that we had confronted previously too: the attraction of these material issues drags the individual toward shapes. Meaning they are separated from meaning. I think when in this program you hear "humans went" or "are going," the meaning is that they no longer consider meanings, do not consider their roots, do not understand warnings correctly and in the stubbornness they have, pursue that they—with themselves or with other individuals, intragroup or outgroup—race to have more financial store, without to the same extent giving importance to semantic issues and preventing the expansion of their own mind.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Well, humans went and left that tree, went after the illusion of life. We spoke with him much; he suffered pain, was worried. — Worried of himself? — No, he knew who he was and what he was. — Was he sorry? For himself? — No, he was sorry for humans and knew what would descend upon them. So he pondered within himself and understood pain; the more he suffered pain, the more he received loving within himself.

Parabolist says to the listeners: Yes, here we confronted a very important subject: the understanding of pain and its result which was the reception of loving. Meaning when he saw these individuals have weakened their semantic connection and are paying attention to shapes, participating in that race and saw the future where hard blows are waiting for them, in the same state, inside himself discovered loving; and this very loving became the factor of a big change in him.

He could consider the work finished right here. Return and turn to those symbols and say he performed his work, gave warnings too, and these individuals have also gone after their own work and life, so his work is finished. But you know a true and right teacher never says this sentence; he will be in pursuit of his disciples. How can he do this work? He must bring about loving within himself; a loving that differs from the usual loving of humans on the earth. That usual loving always has a reason. Why does a mother love her child? Why does a father make such a claim? There is a reason, a benefit, a connection; it is on the base of those same interests, seeking pleasure and avoiding harm, that you say "I love him." But in the Realm of Meaning (Realm of Content), the discovery of loving is not so.

When with an individual who has a large age gap with you, has such a different nature, thinks of another thing and you are in another place in wayfaring, how can you define this relation and say "I love him"? Which benefit, which interest, which investment has meaning here? Even those around, in the same shaped concept, oppose you; when you say "they went," they say: "well they went, you are free, let them go, you did your work, let them work as they like." But the core of the story is here: that loving of which it is said "took the pain, digested that pain, understood and analyzed in himself" was that very understanding and perception that led to a loving without the common reason among humans. As if he is fascinated that among these very individuals, there be someone who is worthy of receiving the Vision (Roya) that he himself is building. We return to the Visionary Mind...

The Teachers' Dialogue: — But a strange event happened; he transformed himself. Did you see? — It is wonderful, we had not seen such a thing. — He went after them, found them, saw where they are. — He was a lover; love caused him to transform, come out of himself. He found them and took them in his hand. Do you remember their conversations? What did he say? "What do you want? Where are you trapped? What is your problem? What help can I do?" "What work can I do for you?" — It was unbelievable, he had come out of himself.

Parabolist says to the listeners: Well, this part too we must examine with precision. Respected teachers in their discussion said he came out of himself; it is unbelievable, how did he do this work? Yes, truly a special subject had occurred. Because the story could end right there, but we saw that loving, that love-offering, became a factor for him to give himself such a big elevation that he created another parallel world; this time he turned himself into the shape of a teacher who is ready to pay a toll, a toll to the border of destruction.

He had to accompany, had to accept a big risk: accompanying these very individuals in their personal subjects. But why did it carry much risk? Because he had to confront the Grown-Ups. This was the greatest danger for him; because his shade which fell on the ground of the new world, could become the target of their lethal blows—and became. In the events that happened, from the side of the Grown-Ups he was identified, became the target of slander, became the target of attack, and harsh insults were made to him. You know how much insult to such an entity influences the state of his parallel worlds; the least event that occurs is the activation of the guardians. Guardians are not in the control of teachers; they are independent factors that another layer controls. He knew that if the work reached dangerous places, certainly interventions would be made. With all of this, he went after those individuals, was present in different places, and accepted many wounds on himself to show what loving, without those common reasons among humans, means.

So this was registered. A specific elevation appeared in him, for those whom he loves, he gives his life. To this meaning that in that parallel world, for individuals who needed, he considered hearts and filled those hearts with his own life; in this shape, he was able to find a way to that world and activate those hearts to beat for those individuals and prevent them from their wrong choices. But you know it was never so; those same hearts were struck to the ground by these very individuals and those lives were taken from him.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — But what did humans, the same friends, do to him? Went to him, cried at his head, kicked him, punched him, insulted him, stoned him; said what we want you must bring about for us, give us what we want, not what you yourself consider for us. — Woe to us. — Allow, allow. What are these pictures? Do you not want to speak about them? — Yes, in these pictures what do you see? Description of a situation, a kind of display of a group who recognize him, have seen him and believe in him; at the same time as if they themselves also know that in the future this dagger must enter his body; as if they know it is themselves who must challenge themselves.

Parabolist turns to the listeners and says: Yes, this is an interesting picture that one of the humans who was close to him drew. It is clear what message is enveloped in it, but in a simple shape we can say that sooner or later these very individuals, each of whom made claim of loving, friendship, and accompaniment, with their works and behaviors, enter blows to the teacher, to that shade which was placed before them on the ground. And then what happens? They put the teacher aside so that there is no longer anyone to challenge their works and raise defects and errors.

So the message is a clear message and there is no necessity to spend much time for it; but I must say truly this very event happened. That same individual who was close to him, with sentences, talks, speech, and deeds, precisely hit this. See, when for someone you spend something close to fifteen years, day and night, according to the situation they have and problems they tolerated in the past, whatever you have in power you put at their disposal so they feel, unlike what seems, they are valuable, must have self-confidence, find themselves, live in life in the shaped and material way too, but accept the dominance of meaning and include quality in their life. Then if the individual returns to the starting point and forgets from where they received the blow (from the Grown-Ups) and now themselves turn into the next Grown-Up, in your opinion what will the next Grown-Up do?

Naturally they will sacrifice quality. When quality is not there, meaning is not there, in what shape will life go forward? Naturally when you ask them what they will do with these years spent for them, you hear a strange answer: they are ready to put these years aside and not take them into account. More or less others also chose this way; meaning unlike initial talks, they chose becoming Grown-Ups, actively participated in that race and gave the greatest importance to pleasure and the avoidance of harm. Meaning was put aside.

The teacher became the target of slander and curse and work reached a place where even the simplest behavior, like asking about the state of a human, was withheld from him. I think if in the human world someone has even committed a crime, when they are in prison too, people visit them and ask of their state; let alone someone who dedicated his life to humans who in the end, contrary to what he expected, chose being Grown-Ups, not his accompaniment.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Well, what had we to do? — We had to prevent this subject; we made him satisfied to return, asked him to return to what he is. It was interesting that he made condition: said let me register the last materials which are as the summary of past talks and put them at the disposal of others. This was what caused us to accept that in the course of three chapters, those materials he wanted to be assembled, be assembled; we too acted on our promise.

— Is there anyone to raise another matter?

Parabolist turns to the teachers and listeners and says: Yes, please, allow me too to raise a matter for you and for all those present. I heard your strict command for return and obeyed. It was for this reason that about two years ago, in a situation I diagnosed suitable, I declared that my period of teaching has come to an end; because with respect to the events that have happened, it seems we are before Grown-Ups who have taken their decision and my being beside them will no longer have fruit, but rather is considered more harmful for me and my thoughts.

I want to emphasize that the relation established between me and these friends was defined and is defined on the base of the relation of teacher and student. Meaning with respect to the fact that with these youths, neither from the age aspect, nor experiential, nor from the aspect of professional situation or any other parameter, did I have a commonality; I could not define my relation as a peer-to-peer relation. All my effort was to put what I had obtained from the semantic aspect at their disposal and perhaps be able to do something so that from among them someone is nurtured who is not a "Grown-Up".

In the course of those two years, as you yourselves also said, I requested to put the collection of my thoughts in the mold of three chapters, both in written shape and in explanatory form, at the disposal of the public who may one day be interested in these subjects. But there was another point: an unfinished case; a case for which I had to wait two years for its result to be specified. There was an individual who had attracted my most precise attention; in the course of perhaps more than ten or twelve years, they were under my precise attention and in the final two years, with respect to their physical limitations, I tried to be patient and accompany; perhaps this individual who also had good talents, would answer that much attention. But now it was proved to me that my last point of hope has also turned to hopelessness; meaning another "Grown-Up" was added to the previous Grown-Ups from among these very individuals. You know how big this pain is for me. I must return; my work in this stage came to an end.

My parallel life on the earthly ground comes to an end; I must return to my personal Vision (Roya), I return toward you. I hope from the efforts I made, you, teachers, masters, are satisfied and once again I hope perhaps in the future individuals are found who use these spoken materials and bring about good changes in their life; while no heart is left for me and I am very wounded. I must die to the life I had considered for myself among these individuals and be born again, in the shape of a tree.

The Teachers' Dialogue: — Allow us now to see him; look — come see him, lonely of the lonely; come rotate around him. — Peace be upon you who were stranger to humans.

Gatekeeper: Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed audience; the session of our reference about the assessment of the report of the Visionary Mind came to an end. Now the Pathfinder is in his own place, in the parallel world (world of Visionary Dreaming), is living; but it is not bad to indicate to this point that now on the earth (material world), his empty place is seen. On a corner of this earth we will write:

*Here was the place of presence of a Pathfinder who poured love and affection and all the souls he had, his possession and belonging, before the feet of humans who were planned not to become the "Grown-Up(s)"; because the "Grown-Up(s)" have no need for a Pathfinder, the "Grown-Up(s)" do not want a guide, they want an justifier.*